Chapter 144

Song Qingming had just arrived at the Song family council hall when he discovered that Patriarch Song Changfeng and several elders had long been waiting there.

The patriarch's seat at the head of the table, for some reason, was empty at this moment, and Song Changfeng had added a chair to sit in a position slightly to the side.

"Sixth Uncle, this is..."

"Qingming, you are now the only Foundation Establishment cultivator in the clan. The position of family patriarch should also be handed over to you to take charge. I have already discussed this with several elders, and everyone has no objections."

According to the traditional rules of the Weiguo cultivation world, the position of patriarch in major cultivation families is held by the cultivator with the highest cultivation level in the entire family. After all, the cultivation world has always respected the strong. Song Qingming knew this point.

Although Song Qingming was not yet fully accustomed to his current status as a Foundation Establishment cultivator, he had been back for more than half a month and had more or less felt some changes in the attitudes of his clansmen toward him.

The patriarch and several elders in the council hall were basically elders he was familiar with, and the way they looked at Song Qingming now made him feel that it was different from before.

"Sixth Uncle, it's not that I'm unwilling to be this patriarch, but I really don't know enough about managing the family's affairs. It would be better to wait until I am familiar with it before discussing this matter."

"Since you say so, I will manage it for you for now. However, you must sit in this chair prepared for you first. Before you take over as patriarch, you must serve as the family's Great Elder. From now on, starting with us elders, the family must also attach importance to some rules of the cultivation world, so that clansmen don't go down the mountain and meet other Foundation Establishment cultivators without knowing the difference between superior and inferior, causing trouble for no reason."

The clansmen on the mountain were all people Song Qingming was familiar with. Everyone, including himself, did not feel much change in his status as a Foundation Establishment cultivator, and when they spoke to him, they still treated him as a peer or a junior as they had in the past.

This was also because the Song family hadn't produced a Foundation Establishment cultivator for hundreds of years, so it was normal for everyone not to react immediately. Otherwise, in other cultivation families that had Foundation Establishment cultivators, such a thing would be absolutely impossible.

Hearing Song Changfeng's words, Song Qingming did not hesitate this time and stepped forward to sit in the seat at the head of the table.

After Song Qingming took his seat, Song Changfeng slowly said to everyone: "The reason I invited everyone here this time is because yesterday I received a post from the Huang family for a mountain visit. The Huang family ancestor, Huang Shengyue, is coming to visit our Mount Funiu in a few days. Everyone, tell me what purpose they might have in coming this time."

"What other purpose could there be? It must be aimed at Qingming. I guess they probably still want to win us over like they did with the Qian family." Thirteenth Uncle Song Changxiong, who had always been outspoken, quickly stated his thoughts.

"Changxiong is right. I think they probably mean the same thing. After all, we were originally vassals of the Huang family. It's just that I don't know what conditions they will offer this time." The family's miscellaneous affairs elder, Fifth Aunt Song Changling, also echoed.

Song Changfeng nodded and continued: "Since everyone is clear about the Huang family's purpose in winning us over, then next we must ask for everyone's opinion. Do we want to continue to stand with the Huang family like the Qian family?"

"The Qian family almost had their clan wiped out following the Huang family. I think we should weigh it carefully. When the Huang family comes tomorrow, let's see what conditions they can offer. If they don't treat us well, we can also stand on the Gao family's side."

"We can't do that. The Huang family's strength is so strong. I heard that Huang Shengxin is already in seclusion to form a Core. If our attitude is not clear, we might suffer a great loss in the future."

Everyone spoke one after another, discussing for a long time, and finally chose to side with the Huang family.

Song Qingming also agreed with this result. After all, the Huang family was powerful now, and as far as the Song family was concerned, Song Qingming had just reached Foundation Establishment and indeed did not have many chips to put on the table to influence the situation in the entire Qinghe County. Making a safe choice at the moment was exactly what Song Qingming wanted most.

Just as everyone had made their decision, another invitation was sent to Mount Funiu. However, this time it was not for Patriarch Song Changfeng, but specifically named to be given to Song Qingming.

After opening it and looking, he discovered that it was a post from the Gao family, inviting him to gather at Qinghe Market.

Song Qingming looked at the three characters "Gao Yuyao" written at the bottom of the post, hesitated for a moment, then shook his head and handed the post directly to Song Changfeng.

"Tell Fourth Uncle to go to the Gao family restaurant and reply, saying that I am in seclusion recently and cannot attend the appointment."

Three days later, on Mount Funiu, a streak of sword light flew over, and a young woman in white stepped on a flying sword and arrived at the guest-welcoming pavilion at the foot of Mount Funiu.

The Song family cultivators guarding the mountain saw this scene and hurriedly knelt down.

"Greetings, Senior. The patriarch is already waiting in the council hall. Please follow me up the mountain, Senior."

The young woman in white nodded and smiled lightly: "Lead the way."

At the same time, Song Qingming and other Song family cultivators who received the news quickly gathered in the family council hall.

Watching Huang Shengyue, who was dressed in white, walk over, Song Changfeng hurriedly led Song Qingming and other Song family members out of the council hall to welcome her.

"Senior, your condescension to come here truly makes our Mount Funiu shine. For many years, we have not had such distinguished guests on the mountain, and our Song family is poorly prepared. Please do not mind, Senior, and come into the hall to talk."

Huang Shengyue waved her hand and said: "Patriarch Song is too polite. Although I have been in seclusion for many years and rarely go out, our two families have been one for many years. I came here to take a look, and it's just next door to my own home. How could there be any minding?"

After the two exchanged pleasantries outside, Song Changfeng respectfully welcomed Huang Shengyue into the council hall.

"Senior, this is some spirit tea cultivated by our Song family ourselves. I suppose it cannot enter your eyes, Senior. Please forgive us."

After Huang Shengyue sat down, she picked up the spirit tea at hand, took a sip, nodded, and looked at Song Qingming, who was sitting beside Song Changfeng, and said: "I suppose this must be Little Friend Song Qingming, who just reached Foundation Establishment not long ago. I didn't expect Little Friend to look so young. Truly, the future is boundless!"

Upon hearing this, Song Qingming hurriedly stood up, bowed, and said: "Qingming greets Senior Huang. I am dull-witted, and being able to luckily reach Foundation Establishment is also due to the help of a noble person. Please do not misunderstand, Senior."

"Little Friend Song has already reached Foundation Establishment and become one of us, so there is no need to address me as Senior. Before leaving, I inquired with good friends in the Carefree Sect and learned that Little Friend Song made a great contribution to the sect, which is why True Person Li bestowed this opportunity upon you. Fellow Daoist Song being able to have such an opportunity truly makes us cultivators who toil in cultivation very envious."

"This time, I represent the Huang family in visiting Mount Funiu mainly for two things: first, to specifically congratulate Fellow Daoist Song, and second, there is something I want to remind you all about."

Updating later.